FREEFALL
by Greesha
Summary: Between Episode I and II, Sam and Elyssa are transported to the Star Wars universe and accidentally start changing canon. Chapter 3 up!
1. in which Strange Things Happen

FREEFALL  
  
Chapter 1  
in which Strange Things Happen  
  
Before I tell you this story, I must make one point perfectly clear: It wasn't my fault. None of this would have happened if not for Elyssa's computer.  
  
But then again, I suppose that doesn't make it Elyssa's fault. She hates that computer as much as I do. So what happened first was not either of our faults. What happened afterwards was mostly mine, but you will learn about that later. One thing at a time.  
  
I was sleeping over at Elyssa's house Friday night. That is to say, I was over all night, but we certainly weren't sleeping; at least, not until about two in the morning. Teenage girls, sleeping at a sleepover, I don't think so. But of course I had to wake up bright and early, just as usual.  
  
Tired but unable to fall back asleep, I scanned Elyssa's bookshelves for something interesting to read. Right next to each other were two dog-eared paperbacks that caught my eye: the first Jedi Apprentice book, and uShadows of the Empire.u I had always been a Star Wars fan and had read some of the books, but had never gotten around to reading these. I pulled them both off the shelf and opened uShadows of the Empireu to the first page.  
  
It wasn't long before I had to stop. The story seemed interesting, but I was simply too tired to concentrate. Oh well, I thought, maybe later. "Elyssa?" I asked to see if she was at least half-awake.  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"I'm going to get on your computer to check my e-mail."  
  
"Mmm." She rolled over and went back to sleep.  
  
Taking that groan as a "Sure, whatever, I'm not quite awake yet so do whatever you like," I got on the Internet and saw, with some disappointment, that I had no new e-mail. I sighed, then went to Yahoo to try and find a good Star Wars site.  
  
The search results came up, and I scrolled about halfway down the page when something caught my eye: "See the Star Wars universe with your own eyes!"  
  
Probably made by one of those crazy delusional people who actually thinks he's Luke Skywalker, I thought, but clicked on it anyway.  
  
The page began to load. There was blackness, then the background filled with stars. And then the computer froze.  
  
"Elyssa?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Your computer froze."  
  
"Turn it off and then on again."  
  
Wow, Elyssa was actually speaking in complete sentences. Not bad for this early in the morning.  
  
I pressed the button to turn the computer off…except it didn't work. "Um…Elyssa? Little help here?"  
  
She sighed and got up. "What's the matter now?"  
  
"The computer isn't turning off."  
  
Elyssa reached down and pressed the button; then, when nothing seemed to happen, she pressed it again. "This is really weird."  
  
"I hope I didn't ruin your computer," I said, although there was nothing I could do about it even if I had. I picked up the books and put them in my bag while Elyssa fiddled with the computer. "You don't mind if I borrow these, do you?"  
  
Elyssa didn't seem to hear me. "Sam, come look at this!"  
  
Bag still in my hand, I went over to see what she was talking about…and saw her getting sucked into the computer screen. Without thinking, I grabbed her foot and was sucked in after her. 


	2. in which I Believe I'm Going Crazy (and ...

FREEFALL  
  
Chapter 2  
in which I Believe I'm Going Crazy (and It's Not the First Time)  
  
After the initial shock wore off, I realized two things: one, we were in the middle of a very busy highway; and two, we were falling.  
  
"AAAAAHHH!" was all we could scream as we dropped at shall we say a rate that was much too fast for comfort. As I was about to die, the strangest thought crossed my mind: All right, Elyssa, nice joke, you can give me my parachute now!!  
  
And then we landed. But we were not splattered on the ground; rather, after a minute or so I realized that we weren't dead.  
  
And we were in the back of a speeder piloted by none other than Anakin Skywalker, with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the passenger seat.  
  
"Oh," was all I could manage. *Please, Elyssa, don't do anything stupid!* I begged, trying unsuccessfully to establish a telepathic link.  
  
But I failed to mention that Elyssa thinks Hayden Christensen is the hottest guy in the universe. The fist words out of her mouth were: "Oh, my gosh…Mr. Christensen, can I please have your autograph?"  
  
*Only you, Elyssa,* I thought, despite the fact that neither of us seemed to have any telepathic talent. *Only you could say something like that seconds after freefalling through the streets of Coruscant…* For that was where we were, I realized.  
  
Coruscant. We had somehow entered the Star Wars universe.  
  
"Are you feeling all right?" Obi-Wan asked Elyssa, who was too busy drooling to answer.  
  
"I think she's a little confused," I replied. "Um…who are you, anyway?" Otherwise Elyssa would probably blurt out the names before we'd heard them, creating a difficult situation to explain.  
  
"I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan replied. "This is my Padawan Anakin Skywalker."  
  
"I'm Samantha. Sam. This is Elyssa."  
  
Elyssa stared blankly, finally realizing she wasn't on a movie set.  
  
"Are you all right?" Obi-Wan asked again, sounding concerned.  
  
Elyssa fainted.  
  
"I think that was a no," I answered.  
  
Anakin turned the speeder around so they could take Elyssa somewhere where she could get medical help. Help that I also would need in the near future.  
  
I think the only reason I was so accepting of the strange things that had happened was because I assumed I would soon wake up and find it was all a dream.  
  
Needless to say, it wasn't.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"Is Elyssa gonna be okay?" I asked the medical droid. "Can I see her?"  
  
"She is in a slight state of shock and is sleeping at the moment. You shouldn't disturb her."  
  
"She'll be okay, Sam," Anakin said, trying to comfort me.  
  
"You look like you could use some sleep, too," said Obi-Wan.  
  
I happily took the pill they gave me, knowing that when I woke I'd be back on the floor of Elyssa's bedroom, early Saturday morning.  
  
When I woke, I found myself in a hospital bed on Coruscant, where I had a major delayed reaction. "You have GOT to be kidding me!" I screamed. "You have GOT to be FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!"  
  
"What's wrong?" Anakin asked, coming over to my bed, a worried look on his face.  
  
"THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!"  
  
"Sam--"  
  
There was only one feasible explanation for the whole thing. "Shut up. You're just a figment of my imagination."  
  
"Sam, what's wrong--"  
  
Anakin kept talking, but I stopped listening. I curled up into a ball, stuck my fingers in my ears, and started humming loudly.  
  
"Sam…Sam…SAM!" someone shouted, and suddenly I felt a sharp slap across my face. I opened my eyes and there was Elyssa.  
  
"What the h…What was that for?" I asked.  
  
"Wake up! Look around you!"  
  
I rubbed my sore cheek. "What's wrong with you?"  
  
Elyssa looked as if she was about to cry. "I don't think this is a dream."  
  
"It's all in my imagination," I said, trying to convince myself. But I realized two things: one, if this was not a dream and we really were in the Star Wars universe, we had no way of getting back home; and two, Anakin Skywalker was staring at us.  
  
"Do you mind?" I asked angrily.  
  
He shrugged. "Not at all," he replied, making no move to leave.  
  
There was silence for a few moments as we stood and stared at each other. And then Obi-Wan entered the room.  
  
"Feeling better, Sam?" he asked kindly.  
  
"Well, I was," I replied. "But then I woke up." 


	3. in which We Have No Idea How to Get Home

Sam and Alyssa are the main characters in "Life as a House." Hayden Christensen's 1st movie, I think that's the weirdest coincidence and I did not intentionally name my characters Sam and Elyssa because of that.  
  
Thank you everyone who reviewed, special thanks to Danele, my beta reader, or guinea pig, call it what you will.  
  
------------  
  
Chapter 3  
in which We Have No Idea How to Get Home  
  
"How did you end up falling in the middle of the highway?" Obi-Wan asked us.  
  
I had no idea how to reply. If I told them we were from another universe, they'd think we were crazy...if they didn't already. "Ummm..."  
  
"You know you could have been killed, don't you?" he continued sternly.  
  
"Oh, it's not that dangerous, Master," Anakin cut in. "With traffic the way it's been lately, there'll always be someone there to break your fall."  
  
I couldn't help laughing. "Thank you," I said, "for saving my life." Immediately after saying that I wondered why I had. This was a dream. I couldn't die in a dream, could I?  
  
But what if it wasn't a dream? asked some other part of me.  
  
It is, replied the first half, the more practical, disbelieving half, but I wasn't totally sure of anything at the moment.  
  
"What am I, chopped liver?" demanded Elyssa.  
  
"Our lives," I amended, my face turning red. I turned away, but not before I saw the grin on Anakin's face.  
  
"We're going to take you home now," Obi-Wan said; then came the question Elyssa and I were dreading: "Where do you live?"  
  
"Ummm..." Elyssa said. There was an uncomfortable silence as we tried to figure out how to answer.  
  
"We don't know how to get home," I finally whispered.  
  
"How did you get here?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
I had no answer to give them, so I simply broke down in tears. Anakin immediately put his arms around me. "Leave her alone!" he told Obi-Wan. "Can't you see she's been through a  
very traumatic experience?"  
  
"Can we stay here with you for now?" Elyssa asked.  
  
Obi-Wan thought for a moment. "We should go see the Jedi Council," he said.  
  
---------------------  
  
Half an hour later, Elyssa and I were dressed and in the back of the speeder, once again flying through the streets of Coruscant. I held onto my bag protectively; what if someone were to discover the Star Wars books in it? What would we tell them?  
  
But, most importantly, what would we tell the JediCouncil when we got there?  
  
The questions made little sense, considering the fact that they shouldn't have mattered, since I thought the whole thing was a dream. But the fact remained that they did matter. Even while I was trying to convince myself that this wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening, inside I knew it was, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.  
  
I was so preoccupied with those questions in my head that I did not realize we had reached our destination until Anakin tapped me on the shoulder. "We're here."  
  
I got out and looked around, still hugging my bag. The Jedi Temple wasn't the tallest building on Coruscant, but still it managed to stand out in the middle of everything else.  
  
"What will happen after we see the Council?" I asked Anakin. Obi-Wan and Elyssa were ahead of us, and I hoped they couldn't hear.  
  
"I don't know," Anakin replied. "But I hope you can stay with us," he continued in a softer voice, looking into my eyes.  
  
I quickly looked away.  
  
We walked the rest of the way in silence, until Obi-Wan stopped and announced that we had reached our destination. He opened the door and walked through; Elyssa and I nervously  
followed.  
  
My first thought was that the room looked a lot like that scene in Episode I when Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin spoke to the Jedi Council...and then I belatedly realized that it looked the same   
because it was the same. Recalling the information in my visual dictionary, I could name about half of the Jedi there, but the rest of the names slipped my mind.  
  
"Not seen you two before, have I," Yoda said, interrupting my thoughts.  
  
I hesitated, and Elyssa replied, "No. I'm Elyssa. This is Sam."  
  
"They told me they don't know how to get home," Obi-Wan said.  
  
Yoda looked thoughtful. "Know how you got here, you do?"  
  
"Yes," Elyssa said softly.  
  
When neither of us volunteered further information, Mace Windu pressed, "How?"  
  
There was silence; then Elyssa said, "Through my computer screen."  
  
"Not from this universe, you are," Yoda said, a statement rather than a question.  
  
"No," Elyssa said.  
  
All was quiet as that sank in.  
  
"And why doesn't your companion speak?" Mace Windu asked Elyssa.  
  
"Because you're all figments of my imagination," I said.  
  
"So sure of this, you are?" Yoda asked.  
  
I did not reply for a long time. Then, slowly, I shook my head. "No."  
  
The Jedi looked at each other; they seemed to be holding a silent discussion. As they did this, I looked around. Everything seemed so real. I did not understand how this could be a dream, but I did not understand how it could not be. I was almost dizzy from the confusion inside of my mind.  
  
Finally Mace Windu spoke. "Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, you will care for Sam and Elyssa until you have found a way to get them back to their own universe."  
  
"Wait a minute," I said. "You don't think we're crazy?"  
  
"Think you are crazy, you do?" Yoda asked me.  
  
"Lately I haven't been quite sure," I replied very honestly.  
  
"I don't think you're crazy," Anakin said.  
  
I turned around and looked at him, a sad smile on my face. "Thanks."  
  
Then Obi-Wan told Anakin and I to go ahead and wait for him and Elyssa; I guess he had to talk to the Council. Anakin and I walked to the speeder in silence.  
  
"You're being very quiet," Anakin remarked.  
  
I did not reply.  
  
"You really are from another universe, aren't you?"  
  
"If I'm not dreaming...yes."  
  
"Sam, I'm not just a figment of your imagination. Can your imagination do this?"  
  
Suddenly his lips were on mine, soft and gentle. They lingered but a moment, and then he broke the kiss.  
  
"I dunno," I replied. "I've got a pretty darn good imagination."  
  
--------------- 


	4. in which Anakin Says Something Quite Une...

Chapter 4   
in which Anakin Says Something Quite Unexpected   
  
Obi-Wan and Elyssa appeared a moment later and climbed into the speeder. "Where are we going?" Elyssa asked.   
  
"Home," Obi-Wan replied. "It's night already, and we should all get some rest. Maybe after a good night's sleep it'll be easier for us to find a solution to your rather unusual problem."   
  
I did not reply. All I could think about was Anakin's kiss. He and Obi-Wan had been told to help us get home…but it was obvious that Anakin didn't want me to go. But wasn't he supposed to fall in love with Padmé?   
  
In a delayed reaction I looked back at my thoughts and realized that I was no longer trying to convince myself that this was a dream. I accepted the fact that it was real.   
  
And that was what made the idea that much more scary.   
  
-----------------------------------   
  
We arrived shortly at Obi-Wan and Anakin's apartment. When we walked in the door, I noticed that it looked almost like something from our world: a couch, a holovision, a small kitchen with a stove, and what I guessed was a refrigerator.   
  
"That's my bedroom," Obi-Wan said, pointing to a door. "Elyssa, you can sleep in there." He pointed to another door. "Sam, you can sleep in Anakin's room. The tow of us will sleep in here."   
  
"Are you sure?" I asked. The couch was definitely not big enough for two people, so one or both of them would end up sleeping on the floor. "Elyssa and I could share a bed—"   
  
Anakin cut me off. "No, it's all right."   
  
I tried to protest, but at that moment my stomach growled loudly. "Would you like something to eat?" Obi-Wan asked us.   
  
Elyssa and I both answered, "Yes!" at the same time; then Elyssa shouted, "Jinx!"   
  
"Hey, that's not fair," I said, and we both laughed, momentarily oblivious to our surroundings. Then we realized that Obi-Wan and Anakin were staring at us and wondering what the heck was the matter.   
  
"Never mind," I said in lieu of an explanation, still smiling.   
  
"You look nice when you smile," Anakin said.   
  
I stopped smiling.   
  
---------------------------------------------   
  
Dinner was some kind of meat, what I hoped was a vegetable, and an odd-looking pasta. I suddenly realized why they hardly ever showed people eating in the Star Wars movies.   
  
"So…" Anakin began, attempting to start a conversation. "What's it like, in your world?"   
  
"Anakin…" Obi-Wan said in a warning tone, but Elyssa had already begun to answer the question:   
  
"Well, we live on one planet, we drive on the ground, and there aren't any Jedi. I guess that just about covers the important points.   
  
"If there aren't any Jedi, how come you knew what we were?" Anakin asked.   
  
Neither of us answered.   
  
"Well?" He seemed more curious than anything else, but what was I supposed to tell him? I couldn't very well say that in our world, their world was only a story…   
  
"In our world," I said finally, "it's considered rude to bother someone about something they'd rather not talk about."   
  
After that, there were no more attempts at small talk.   
  
-----------------------------------------   
  
"Is that all right, because I could get another pillow if you want me to."   
  
"It's fine!"   
  
"Would you like another blanket?"   
  
"No!" I shouted in an exasperated tone. And, since Anakin was quickly running out of excuses to stay in my room—his room—and looked as if he wanted to ask me something, but didn't, if you know what I mean, I continued, "Quit beating around the bush, will ya?"   
  
He gave me a blank look. "Huh?"   
  
I sighed. "Just tell me whatever you're going to and then get out."   
  
Anakin stood there for a few moments, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Oh…I guess it's not really important," he said finally, and ducked out the door.   
  
Almost immediately, Elyssa walked in. "What was that all about?" she asked, a silly grin spreading across her face.   
  
"Nothing. Go away."   
  
I could tell Elyssa was hurt by my callous reply. "Fine. Sorry. Didn't know you were so sensitive about the subject."   
  
She turned to leave, and I sighed and said, probably a bit more loudly than I should have, "He kissed me, all right?"   
  
Elyssa turned to me in shock. "Right now?"   
  
"No, not right now! Before, while you were with Obi-Wan, after we saw the Jedi Council."   
  
"Wow." Elyssa looked dreamy. "What I wouldn't give to be kissed by Hayden Christensen."   
  
"But he's not Hayden Christensen!" I practically screamed. "That's the whole point, isn't it? He isn't real!"   
  
"I'd have to say you disagree with that last statement."   
  
"But he isn't, is he?"   
  
"Dunno…what do you think?"   
  
"I think this is pointless."   
  
"Ditto."   
  
Pause. "Elyssa, what do you think? About me and Anakin, I mean."   
  
"Well…do you like him? At all?"   
  
"I don't really know him yet."   
  
"I think that answers your question, then, doesn't it, Samantha dear?" She didn't wait for a reply. "Good night."   
  
As I watched the door close behind Elyssa, I began to think about it. Sam and Anakin. Anakin and Sam. No matter which way I put it, it sounded…well, wrong. Everything about it. And I couldn't understand why.   
  
---------------------------------------------   
  
I woke in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep, no doubt the result of all the sleep I'd had at the hospital. I lay in bed for what seemed like hours, then finally gave up and reached for my bag. I pulled out the Jedi Apprentice book I'd taken from Elussa's room and opened it to the first page. I had barely read two words when there was a knock at the door.   
  
I shoved the book under my pillow and called out softly, "Who is it?"   
  
"It's me, Anakin. I saw your light on—can I come in?"   
  
I sighed. "I suppose so." He opened the door and walked in. "What do you want?"   
  
"I just saw that you were awake, that's all, and since I can't sleep either I thought we could keep each other company."   
  
"Thanks, but no thanks." I didn't really feel like talking at the moment.   
  
Anakin plopped himself down at the foot of the bed anyway.   
  
"Excuse me!"   
  
He grinned. "You forget that this is my room."   
  
"Are you always this difficult?"   
  
His smile widened. "If you ask Master Kenobi, then yes."   
  
I sighed in frustration. "Get off my foot."   
  
He very nicely got up for a moment so I could move my foot, then lay back down right where he was before.   
  
"Off the bed?"   
  
"My bed."   
  
"Act your age, not your shoe size."   
  
His reply was the blank stare I always seemed to receive whenever I used an expression like that in front of a Star Wars character.   
  
"How old are you, anyway?"   
  
"Seventeen."   
  
"Really?" He looked older than that; or maybe I was imagining him as he looked in Episode II. "I'm seventeen too."   
  
This was followed by an uncomfortable silence.   
  
"I'm sorry about…before," Anakin said finally. "Kissing you and…everything. I just…just…" He paused, trying to put into words what he wanted to tell me. "I like you, I guess."   
  
Silence.   
  
"Well, aren't you going to say something?"   
  
"I'm sorry," I said finally. "You're a Jedi, and I'm from another universe. It would never work."   
  
That was what had been wrong when I had tried picturing the two of us together, I realized. It looked all right until I tried to put the two of us in one universe or the other. He didn't fit in my universe, and I didn't fit in his.   
  
"That's all?" I heard disappointment in his voice, as well as something stronger…anger?   
  
"Good night, Anakin," I said in a tone that clearly stated that this was my final word in the matter.   
  
Without another word, he got up and left, closing the door silently behind him.   
  
-----------------   
  
Stay tuned, there's more coming! 


	5. in which Someone Tries to Kill Me and Ve...

Sorry I didn't post the whole summer, but I'll try to make it up to you with pretty regular posts from now on.  
  
  
Chapter 5  
in which Someone Tries to Kill Me and Very Fortunately Does Not Succeed  
  
Afterwards I lay there thinking. Had I done the right thing? Would it work?  
  
Why couldn't I just go to sleep?  
  
But in the end it was insomnia that saved me; for I heard scratching on the window. I looked up to see a blaster poking through the newly-made hole in the glass, and quickly rolled off the bed. But I was too late; the laser blast hit my shoulder, burning through skin and flesh.  
  
At once the door flew open, and Anakin rushed in. "Are you all right?" he asked, sounding very concerned.  
  
"He's getting away!" I shouted, seeing a dark shape escape on a speederbike.  
  
Anakin rushed to the window, but it was too late. Whoever it was was already gone. He let out a curse just as Obi-Wan entered the room.  
  
Obi-Wan quickly cleaned and bandaged my blaster wound, which wasn't all that serious. "You're very lucky," he said.  
  
"But, Master," protested Anakin, "we let him get away!"  
  
"Or her," I put in, suddenly remembering Zam Wessell.  
  
Two heads turned to stare at me.  
  
"Just an idea," I said uncomfortably.  
  
"It's all right," said Obi-Wan in response to Anakin. "I sense that we will have another chance."  
  
"You mean he'll come after me again?" I burst out angrily.  
  
"Or she," Anakin put in, that annoying grin coming back again.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"I don't know," said Obi-Wan.  
  
"But we'll protect you," Anakin volunteered.  
  
"By using me as bait?"  
  
Once again, I saw that I shouldn't have opened my big mouth, because Anakin's eyes lit up immediately. "Master, we could--"  
  
"Sam, you need to get some rest. We'll leave you alone." As they walked out, he gave Anakin a look that clearly said, "And we need to talk."  
  
I lay down, but once again I wasn't able to sleep. I had too much on my mind. And staring out the window made me nervous. Finally, I curled up on the floor, pulled a blanket over my head, and fell into a restless sleep.  
  
-------------  
  
I woke some time later at Elyssa's nagging. "Get off me," I finally groaned. "Don't you know I got shot last night?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Where did Obi-Wan and Anakin go?"  
  
"I dunno."  
  
"Great." I filled her in on the details, except the part about using me as bait. It was too freakily like Episode II. "How did I sleep through all this?" she wondered.  
  
"You could sleep through the house burning down."  
  
"How is it?"  
  
"Better. It doesn't really hurt anymore."  
  
"I guess blaster wounds heal faster than bullet wounds."  
  
"I don't think they wanted to leave me alive long enough for it to heal."  
  
"But who would want to kill you?"  
  
"I don't know. But we'd better find out soon." 


End file.
